Not so Damaged
by Dark-Dragon-Fallen-Angel
Summary: Charlie was twelve when the lights went out. Eight years later Ben dies from illness leaving Charlie and Danny alone, so Charlie sends a letter to her Uncle Miles only for Sebastian Monroe to answer. AU
1. Chapter 1

Summary: Charlie was twelve when the lights went out. Eight years later Ben dies from illness leaving Charlie and Danny alone, so Charlie sends a letter to her Uncle Miles only for Sebastian Monroe to answer. AU

I watched as the pyre burned with my dad's body on it. Not even a week ago we had burned Maggie's body. The virus that had struck our small village had killed it last victim. After dad no one else had shown signs of sickness his quarantine had worked. Maggie had begged dad to leave her alone as she agonized so that he wouldn't get sick but he had been stubborn and stayed by her side until the end. Maggie had gotten sick as the local doctor everyone had gone to her for help as the flu had started to appear. At first the virus looked like the regular flu that came once a year around winter time, with fevers and chills, the only difference was that after a person got sick they only had a week to live before their whole bodies shut down. The virus had worked its way through the village until ten people had died from different households, it had taken the weak, the elderly and the children. I had kept Danny away from everyone to make sure that he didn't get sick, Danny was always the first and with his asthma, he needed special attention, so I had kept him close to me at all time covered from head to toe in layers of clothing and kept him in the forest away from the village. Danny had loved it, like only a nine year old can. While I had taken him to the forest often with me for walks I had never allowed him to go hunting, but with needing to keep him close do to the virus and him getting board easily he had been allowed for the first time to hunt. I had spend our time together in the forest teaching him how to track and hunt, how to walk without making a sound and to hear everything. Danny had taken to hunting like a duck to water even if I had only let him hunt rabbits and squirrels.

However now all that joy and happiness had faded from his eyes and been replaced by tears and sadness as he clung to me, watching the pyre burn. With a sigh I pulled my eyes away and knelt down next to Danny, I opened my arms and let him hug me with all the strength that his skinny arms had, my own wrapping around him. As his sobs turned to sniffles I grabbed him and lifted him into my arms, his legs wrapping around my waist and his head nuzzled into my neck, his face hidden by my long hair. Even though Danny was too old and heavy for me to carry I still made my way through the village and to our home, never once letting him down.

Once we reached the house I put Danny down on the couch, he had fallen asleep while I carried him, I grabbed the blanket that was thrown over the couch and tucked him in, gently I pushed some stray strands of hair away from his face before leaning down and placing a kiss on his forehead. I checked on the fire burning in front of the couch and made my way into dad's office. I grabbed a piece of parchment and began my letter to uncle Miles. Dad had died with Miles name on his lip, I could only guess that he wanted his brother to know of his death. Once my letter was finished I put it inside an envelope and address it to Miles Matheson Philadelphia. I would sent it early tomorrow and hope that it reached him. With that done I went to the kitchen to see what food we had left in the pantry so that I could make Danny and I dinner.

Two Weeks Later

I had returned from my most recent hunting trip with some of the people from the village. Gunner, a pit bull and my hunting dog, trotted next to me as I hulled the deer that I had killed toward our home. Gunner had let us towards a pack of deer grassing a couple of miles away from the village. We had killed only the oldest and a couple of bucks, leaving behind enough so that they could repopulate and we would have a couple more next year.

After I left took the deer home and cleaned it, I gave a raw piece to Gunner, packing the rest away to dry and changed my clothes before making my way to Aaron's house where I had left Danny for the day. I walked right on in and followed the sound of voices into the dinning room where Danny and Aaron where having dinner. I just stood in the door way and watched them talk about whatever it was that Aaron had taught Danny today. With a gasp and his hand going to his chest Aaron finally saw me standing there, his gasp drew attention to me and Danny leaped out of his chair and ran straight towards me. I gave him a hug and ruffled his hair before sending him on his way back to the table, I followed and sat next to him where Aaron had already place a bowl of broth. As we ate in content I could tell that Aaron wanted to talk to me but didn't want Danny to hear, so the moment that we finished eating I told Danny to put our plates in the sink and to go pick out a book from Aaron's collection. " A letter arrived for you Charlie." I simply raised my eyebrow at Aaron, waiting him for him to continue so that I could see what had made him so nervous. "It's from General Monroe of the Monroe-Matheson Republic" Aaron's voice was shaky and I could understand. Why would General Monroe send me a letter? My confusion must have shown because Aaron quickly handed me the letter. I carefully looked it over before opening it and scanning it contents. "Miles left Philadelphia a year ago and Monroe has no idea where he could be, he sends his sincerest condolences for our loss and he hopes that we can remain in touch, that he remembers me from before the blackout." I whispered in half disbelief."So, I'm guessing Ben's brother was The General Miles Matheson, huh? Who would have guessed?" What Aaron said was true, I guess, an I did remember Uncle Miles showing up at the house a couple of times with someone named Sebastian. Still the information made Uncle Miles a bust. I guess it truly was just Danny and I now. With a sigh I slumped in my seat, I could feel the weight of the world settle on my shoulders and with it I let a tear slip down my cheek. I hadn't cried sense the day my mother left, not even when dad and Maggie died, but the uncertainty of everything felt too great. Aaron's warm hand on top of mine snapped me out of my little pity party, and with a soft squeeze back I pulled myself back together and wiped away the stray tear. I matched to pull myself back together right on time because Danny came running back with a book under his arm. I gave Aaron a smile and wished him goodnight.

I walked with my hand on Danny's shoulder all the way to our home and did our nightly routine of brushing teeth and changing in to pj's and snuggling on the couch as I read a chapter from the book Danny had picked out, but unlike every night where I would nudge Danny awake so that he would go to bed, tonight I picked him up and walked to my room where I curled around him and held him close. He was the only thing I had left in this world and I needed to keep him safe. Gunner lifted his head from where he had laid on the floor, he took one look at us and jumped on top of the bed, laying down by feet. With what was left of my family surrounding me, I fell asleep.

Six Month's Later

Bass and I had continued to sent letters to each other. Lately we had both become worried about the safety of Danny and I being alone out in our small village. The Monroe-Matheson Republic had gained power over the last year and enemies too and even though Miles had left the Republic the Matheson name still drew unwanted attention. It had all started three months ago with Georgia sending a spy to our small village. At first no one had paid the stranger passing through any mind until he had started to ask questions about me. I could never be more thankful to how protective and loving our small town was of Danny and I. The spy was quickly sent of, but that was only the beginning. Next they had sent someone to my home, Gunner earned his weight in gold that day.

Gunner had been restless all afternoon and dragged my bow all the way to my room as well as Danny by his pajama pants that night and had stood facing the door ready for an attack. My confusion about Gunner's behavior didn't stop me from doing what he no doubt wanted me to do so I stood next to him with my bow ready after I had hide Danny in the closet. A few hours later I heard a noise down stairs and the boots of a man that couldn't be Aaron, Aaron was an elephant and always yelled my name the moment he stepped through the door, as he made his way towards my door. I was ready for him the moment he walked through the door and shot him in the chest, however I wasn't ready for the man that came through the window and knocked the air out of me. As I lay on the floor I could see him making his way towards the closet when Gunner jumped towards him and knocked him to the floor. I jumped back up and knocked him out with a swing of my bow. Danny and I had stayed at Aaron's house for a few days while everything was cleaned up and the guy was detained for questioning and of course a letter was sent to Bass. Barely a week later Bass sent a couple of militia men to guard and protect our town as well as a later stating that Danny and I were to get our things ready because he was on his way to pick us up and drags us to Philadelphia if he had to.

That had been a eight days ago and I was sure Bass would arrive any day now. I had told Aaron and we had both agreed that Bass was right. Staying in our small town was no longer an option for Danny and I. I began the preparations of seeing what we needed, what could be left behind and made Danny swear that he wouldn't tell anyone until the day we left, just so that word wouldn't get around. I tried to make everyone think that everything was the same and went on with life like usual. I left Danny with Aaron as I went hunting, this time only Gunner came with me, I had told the other hunters that I needed to be alone and with the events a few days ago they understood my need even if they didn't like the idea of me being alone. As I move through the forest I let the quiet surround me and give me comfort. Memories of Dad and Maggie bringing me out here to look for plants filled my head and for a moment I let my self be that thirteen year old girl that was stepping into the forest for the first, staring at the beauty around me with wonder and curiosity. With a soft sigh I let the fresh air leave my lungs and let my hearing take over. Swiftly and quietly Gunner and I moved across the forest until I found the buck that I needed so that I could put food on the table for Danny, Aaron and I. I dragged the beast towards the village, Gunner in the lead.

I nodded to the militia guards posted at the entrance to town in a manner of hello, but as I entered the village I came upon more militia guards than the amount that were here when I left earlier today. As I moved forward I saw the back of a man, a head taller than me, curly hair that had been combed back until the wind blew some of them astray, his shoulders wider than the rest of him. His build was that of a runner's, no not a runner's, but a boxer's. This man is obviously the one in charged by the way he stood and dressed. He stood in the middle of our small town, Aaron across from him with Danny hidden behind him. " I'm looking for Charlotte Matheson" His voice was hoarse and slightly deep. The villagers looked ready to grab arms and come to my defense. This had to be Bass. I moved forward threw the crowd of soldiers some of them recognizing me from being in the village guards, those quickly let me threw. "That's me" I said from behind him, a good distance away. I was prepared to leave with Bass to Philadelphia but I wasn't ready to meet him, or have his piercing blue eyes focus on me. Bass was in his early thirties from what I remember and he looked just as hot as I when I met him thirteen years ago. As we both took each other in another presence made itself known in the form of Danny, who ran towards me at full speed, causing me to drop the buck and bend down to catch him in a hug. "And this is Danny" I said as I straighten up and turned Danny towards Bass, my arms wrapped around Danny from behind.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary: Charlie was twelve when the lights went out. Eight years later Ben dies from illness leaving Charlie and Danny alone, so Charlie sends a letter to her Uncle Miles only for Sebastian Monroe to answer. AU**

**AN: I don't own Revolution**

** I want Charlie to come off as a person who matured quickly and not just because of the Blackout but because of life in general. I plan to keep Bass pretty much the same, but showing a more the side we saw after the bombs were dropped than the general, at least with Charlie and Daniel.**

I lead Bass towards my home, he had grabbed the buck in a gentleman's gesture, after I had talked to the towns people and they had all calmed down. The soldiers had returned to their usual duties and the ones that had arrived with Bass today had gone to set up camp. I opened the door and let Gunner and Danny run in, I lead Bass to the shed outside of the house where I would skin the buck and cut it. Then I let him to a bucket of water that I had left earlier today to wash of the blood that had soaked our clothing. Once that was done I threw the rest of the water at the floor to wash away any remnant of blood drops. Together we walked into the house and into the living-room, Gunner was in front of the fire and Danny was curled up in the rocking chair with a book and a blanket. Bass sat on the love-seat and I sat on the table across from him. "Do you want anything to drink?" A quick shake of his head as he stared at me, like he wasn't sure that he was truly seeing me. "When are we leaving?" He leaned back, his arm came to rest on the armrest and his legs stretched out, one lifting to place his boot against the table right next to me. "Tomorrow morning. As soon as the sun is up." I nodded my head. "Charlie?" Danny soft voice grabbed my attention as he came over to me and sat on my lap, his blanket around his shoulders. Lately he had been really clingy with me, constantly afraid that someone would come and take me away. I hugged him close and tried to reassure him that everything was okay, my hand running up and down his back soothingly until he calmed and began to doze off. "Was there anymore attacks on you or Danny?" I shook my head, when I was sure that Danny was asleep I looked back up at Bass. "Its good to see you. You look just like i remember, my uncle pushing you through the door and joining us for a barbeque. Mom wasn't even pregnant with Danny yet." I smiled but he didn't smile back. His posture changed and became tense, he shifted forward and place his elbows on his knees. "What do you remember about your mom?" The question caught me of guard. I looked down at Danny, nestled in my arm fast a sleep, a sigh escaping my lips, my arms squeezed him as I moved to the couch to sit next to Bass, it was best if I was comfortable if we were going to have a long conversation. "Danny can't know about this. As far as he knows mom...left to help Grandpa Gene with an out break and became sick herself." I looked at him in the eyes to make sure he understood, when I saw his nod I swallowed around the lump in my throat.

"Rachael and Ben fell in love and had me a few months after they were married. Mom and Dad had jobs as technology analysts and worked for the government. When Danny was born he had a weak heart and lungs, they worked hard on some project that helped Danny heal. Once he was out of the woods they worked some top secret project they wouldn't tell me about. I remember them slaving over it, day in, day out and Danny and I being alone most of the time. Then before Danny's first birthday the lights went out and Rachael left. We never heard from her again. If your going to tell me that she is with Uncle Miles, your a little late on that one. Ben figured it out a couple of years ago. We tried our best to make sure that Danny never found out about Rachael abandoning us, but that doesn't mean that we didn't keep taps on her." I looked up at Bass seeing his face full of surprise. " Ben got over Rachael and fell in love with Maggie, an English doctor. They were happy but while they both tried to be there for Danny and I, we couldn't make the family work. Maybe it was because I was selfish and didn't want another mother, or because I didn't want to share Danny but it just didn't work." The lump in my throat grew and my eyes began to fill with tears. Bass arm came around my shoulder and pulled me to his chest. I closed my eyes, the tears would not fall, I had cried enough, the time for crying had come and gone. Even though the tears didn't fall I couldn't pull myself away from Bass embrace. So, we sat there looking into the fire. "Charlotte, the project your parents were working on made the lights turn off. Rachael was staying in Philadelphia with Miles. She was suppose to find a way to get the lights back on. They ran away together almost two years ago. I haven't heard from either one." His hand began to comb threw my hair. "Your not selfish for wanting to keep Danny to yourself. From what I remember the last time that I saw you before the blackout, you were the one taking care of Danny. I had never seen so much concentration on a little girls face. Girls older than you are more worried about boys then their little brothers, then before the blackout and now." He was silent for a while. Both of us caught in our own thoughts as we looked at the fire.

Gunner getting up broke us from our thoughts and his pitiful whine reminded me that it was pass lunch time and almost dinner time. With a sigh, because I had been warm and content for the first time in long time, I sat up straight, combed my hand threw Danny's hair. "Hey little monster, time to get up. You need to finish your homework for Aaron and get some food in you." Danny's drowsy eyes opened to stare at me before trying to cuddle back into my chest, no doubt trying to block out the light. I gave a loud sigh before starting to tickle him. He let out squeals and tried his hardest to get out of my arms. Bass loud laughter behind us startled us both. Bass leaned forward to look over my shoulder at Danny. His presence was comforting, faster than most Bass had taken Danny from my arms and was tickling him, himself. He looked at me and gave me a brief nod before directing his attention back at Danny. I got off the couch and made my way to the pantry were we...I kept the dried meat. I took out a package of dried meat and made my way to the kitchen to dig out the pot and prep the food to make some stew. Once the prep was done I head out, leaving Gunner to watch Danny. I called over my shoulder "You coming?" and waited a sec as Bass came to the entrance. I handed him the package of dried meat, "For your soldiers" and headed to the shack where the fresh buck was.

Bass POV

I watched Charlie walk away. The eleven years old girl had grown into a strong woman that cared for her little brother above everything. Then again it wasn't the black out that made her grow up and mature but the constant distance between her and her parents. Miles had mentioned it to me on one or two occasions when we were over seas in Iraq. That's why when ever we were on shore leave we would always go see Miles family and he always made sure to pay extra attention to Charlie. I hadn't really seen what Miles was talking about until now. Seeing Charlie take care of Danny, holding him, it was something I had never seen Rachael do for Charlie. Charlie had always been closer to Ben, but even then besides a quick hug here and there, I had never seen Ben play with Charlie. She always looked so happy when we visited, Miles roping me in to playing tag with them or going on drives with Charlie. The last time we had seen each other was after Danny was born. While the adults talked after dinner Charlie had disappeared, it was unusual because she always tried to spend as much time as possible with Miles and I when we came over. Miles had gotten up and said he wanted to wish Charlie goodnight. We both headed up the stairs but Charlie's room had been empty, Ben motioned for us to come and we followed him to Danny's room where Charlie was holding a sleeping Danny while she rocked him. She was already in her pajamas and seem to be so concentrated on him that she didn't even glance up at us. When Miles had told Rachael to get Danny so that Charlie could go to sleep she had said no, that if Charlie didn't rock Danny's, he wouldn't go to sleep. It should have a sign to us that Rachael wasn't meant to be a mother. We just didn't want to believe that the perfect Matheson family was really broken. We left the house that day and with the blackout a few months later, never returned to that house.

Now, walking away from me was that little girl I left to suffer. A little girl who had matured and was abandoned by the only people who saw something was wrong but did nothing to change her situation. My hand tightened around the package of dried meat and headed in the opposite direction to give it to my men. Many had already started to eat their rations but welcomed the dried meat. Making sure that they were all okay and taken care of I headed back to the Matheson home, change of clothes in hand and two soldiers that would be guarding the house until we left tomorrow.

As soon as I walked in to house I could smell the food that Charlie had cooked. I felt like saying "Lucy, I'm home" but that probably wouldn't have been taken to well. I walked to the living-room where the Charlie was sitting again. She fed Danny as if though he were a baby. I shook my head. "He is old enough to eat by himself." She sighed and shook her head as she continued to feed him. "Charlotte he isn't a baby. He wont last long out there if you keep treating him like one." Her jaw tightened, maybe I had overstepped, but let see if she had that Matheson fire. She smiled at Danny and put the bowl down on the table before heading towards me. Yup, she definitely had that fire and it was spitting from her eyes straight at me. She pushed me out of the room and into the kitchen. Once inside her jaw tightened further. "Who do you think you are to tell what I should and shouldn't do with Danny. If I remember correctly I have raised him fine so far." I snorted which caused the fire in her eyes to increase. If stares could kill..."Look at him. He is skin and bones. Clings to you like a life line. He wouldn't survive by himself." I knew the smirk on my lips as I said that would make her swing at me and two second later she did. I caught her fist and swung her around until her back was to my chest and I had both her arms trapped against her body, my arms wrapped around her. "You done yet." I held her as she struggled and kicked, if it weren't for Danny being in the other room there was no doubt that she would be screaming at me. I waited her out, knowing that sooner or later she would get tired and that she needed to let all that anger go. Miles had done that to me once. After my wife died he made me so angry that we ended up throwing punches one after the other until I just collapsed and cried my anger out. Charlie had a lot of that same all consuming anger, most of it probably towards her mom. She gave one final attempt at getting free before she just hung in my arms, her legs to weak to hold her up. I kept waiting for the tears and as her body started to shake I was sure they had started, only her body wasn't shaking from tears but from laughter, laughter she let bubble to the front and caused her to throw her head back against my shoulder.

"If your expecting me to cry your too late on that. I cried and made peace with the death of Dad and Maggie a while ago, with my mother too. Danny has asthma, that's why he is so skinny. The attacks take all his energy away, no matter how much I feed him, he will always be on the skinny side. Now, Danny, he is as independent as any other child, he follows me around, knows how to hunt and Aaron has taught him about the plants that are edible. Danny is clingy right now because of the men that sneaked into the house, he doesn't want me to get hurt. He doesn't think its safe here anymore, that's the reason I agreed to go to Philadelphia with you. Don't ever try to do that again. You don't know us as well as you think. You have no right to judge or tell me what to do." Her voice had become like steel and before I knew what was happening I found myself on my back on the floor with the air knocked out. I heard giggling from the doorway and found Danny and that dog watching me like it was the funniest thing in the world. Charlie grabbed the bowl with food and without glancing back left the kitchen.

Well, that hurt my pride. I got myself back up and stretched, popping my back, maybe I was getting old...nah, still hurt though. With a sigh I made my way back to the living-room where everything was set up for us to sleep. Charlie had taken the chair that gave her a clear view of the door and that dog had taken the couch with Danny cuddled next to him. Charlie had her bow resting on her lap and quiver full of arrows next to the chair. The only spot left was the other chair that had its back to the door. Well, that wouldn't do, and with swift strides I moved until I could plop myself in front of Charlie, my back resting against her legs. I heard her give a huff but knew she wouldn't make too much noise with Danny sleeping next to us.

Danny POV

I wasn't sure what woke me up, but when I opened my eyes it was still dark out, the only light coming from the fire that was dying out. I scanned my surroundings like Charlie taught me, keeping my breathing steady so everyone would think I was sleeping. Bass was sitting in front of Charlie on the floor, his back against her legs. Charlie was awake and combing her fingers through his hair, like she did for me when I had a nightmare and couldn't go back to sleep. Bass was mumbling something and shaking a bit, he must be having a nightmare, that's probably what woke me. I watched quietly until he settled down, but even then Charlie didn't stop combing his hair. Watching Charlie and hearing the soft breathing of Bass, I could feel my eyes get heavy again, and before I knew it I was a sleep.


End file.
